Preparing for Your First Academic Conference

Your first conference is an important milestone in your academic career. Regardless of your field, an academic conference offers ample opportunity to advance your career. That said, there are always things to be careful of and ways that you can prepare in advance.

Much like you wouldn’t go into an exam unprepared, an academic conference may also have potential pitfalls to be aware of. Here, we’ll discuss the things to be aware of when it comes to your first conference and how you can best prepare for it.

What is an academic conference?

Broadly speaking, an academic conference is an event where researchers/authorities/experts in each field come together to present and address scholarly work. There are quite a few terms used to describe these conferences (scientific conferences, symposiums, and even just meetings, to name a few). It can be a bit confusing when navigating your first conference, as some people are talking about a workshop while others are talking about a congress. Knowing some of the more common terms can help you stay in the loop.

So, what is an academic conference? In short, there is no such thing as a “standard conference”. Many of them share specific traits or formats—for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a move towards virtual conferences. Since then, significantly more in-person events have taken place, but that doesn’t mean that virtual conferences have disappeared. In fact, virtual conferences have several benefits. For example, if you attend an in-person event, you might have to choose between two presentations that are happening at the same time. With a virtual conference, you can watch the two presentations back-to-back on your phone.

There are many nuances in the specifics of any given academic conference. Broadly speaking, the description of “an event where researchers get together to discuss and present scholarly work” is fairly accurate.

How attending a scientific conference can help your career

There are many reasons as to why you might want to attend these sorts of academic symposia. They provide excellent opportunities to learn about important research being done in your field. They also give you ample opportunity to connect with others in your field. These individuals might be potential collaborators in the future. Or they might become valuable mentors for you as you move along your career path.

Attending an academic conference as a student allows you to develop valuable skills that are not taught in your courses. Networking with potential colleagues, especially early in your career, can open many opportunities in the future. Asking questions and attending keynote presentations can help you evaluate your current thoughts on your area of research. These scientific conferences can challenge assumptions and ideas, helping you to develop as a researcher.

Another important benefit of a symposium is that they often have workshops where you can learn specific skills or knowledge related to your field. These may not always be free, so it’s important to make sure you’re prepared.

How to prepare for your first academic conference

There are many different opinions. Answering the question of “how do I prepare for my first academic conference?” might have hundreds of different answers. Here, we’re going to focus on a small number of important things to try and remember:

Pack light;
Be informed;
Plan your trip in advance and use a checklist;
Stay positive;
Triple-check what you need.

Of course, there are other things to keep in mind, but as we go through this list, you’ll start to see how these five tips can help you to maximise your time at a scientific conference.

Remember to pack light

Travelling often creates the opportunity to stress about what you may or may not need for a trip. When planning your first conference, you might be tempted to bring everything. Here are a few things you should think about bringing:

Comfortable shoes

You will be walking a great deal. Having uncomfortable shoes can turn a potentially amazing first experience into a genuine nightmare. Try to avoid buying and breaking in shoes the day before you travel. Some academic conferences take place in truly enormous halls and centres—make sure you avoid the risk of being in pain for hours at a time (or needing to spend money on more comfortable shoes at a local department store).

Satchels or backpacks

Much like shoes, being able to carry your things comfortably is critical. Both in travelling and at the conference, you want to make sure that you are not running into unnecessary issues because of what you need to bring. Backpacks are often a really good choice for travelling. Many are designed for laptops, have built-in battery-pack pockets, and help keep your notes organised. It’s important to make sure you have a separate travel bag (for your assorted clothes, toiletries, etc.) and one for the conference itself.

Water and a snack

Catering can be unpredictable at an academic conference, especially if you have any food-related considerations. Vegan or gluten-free diets, for example, are being recognised more, but still are not the norm. Make sure you bring a small snack in case the food isn’t to your taste. Water in a reusable water bottle is also important. No one likes paying nine dollars for a bottle of water.

A small “emergency” kit

Band aids, ibuprofen, and lip balm can be lifesavers. Much like how you don’t want to spend a whole day with sore feet, you don’t want to have a headache or chapped lips when meeting important people in your field. Ensure you remember the little things to stay on top of your game.

Another thing to remember is to make sure that your conference satchel or backpack has extra space. Do not over-pack for the day. You’ll likely find papers, pens, and other things to take with you, so make sure your backpack isn’t stuffed to the brim with unnecessary items.

Be informed

Know when your flight is. Double-check your hotel reservation. Stay aware of the time so you don’t miss anything important at the conference. If you are going to present something at an academic conference, make sure that you know whether the event will have everything you need.

Triple-check your presentation materials and carry around a USB backup in case of unforeseen problems. Make sure you have what you need, that you know what you need to know, and are always informed.

Plan your trip in advance (and use a checklist)

Having a checklist is optional, but planning your trip in advance can help reduce unnecessary stress (especially as you get closer to the symposium). If you’re travelling overseas, you’ll have a different set of requirements than if you’re staying in the same city. As such, staying aware of these things and meeting deadlines is of critical importance. For example, applying for a travel visa for certain countries takes time. If you forget, you might not be able to attend an important academic conference, and you’ll miss out on a great experience.

Asking others who have gone to these sorts of events for advice can be a lifesaver.

Triple-check what you need

In the context of travelling, this isn’t that complicated. Passport, money, clothes, toiletries, and so on make up 90% of the items you must bring. But while they’re basic things, that doesn’t mean they aren’t easy to forget. Make sure that you triple-check what you need (especially if you’re presenting at a conference). This can make all the difference between a great first experience and a miserable one.

Stay positive

At the end of the day, your first academic conference is sure to be memorable. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to ensure that those memories are positive. With opportunities to meet mentors and peers, an academic conference can have life-changing impacts. While there are many things to keep in mind when preparing for an academic conference, you also need to take care of the basics.

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